Bruce Reid, from North Yorkshire, told Sky News that he made the journey after inquiring at the Ukrainian embassy.“I think everybody would think ‘is there something I can do?’,” he said.

“I went through the same thought process. I’m recently retired from the fire service. So perhaps I could put that to some use, if it would do some good.

UK pledges millions more to Ukraine as Boris Johnson warns of 'darker days ahead...

Bruce Reid is now in Ukraine helping the local firefighting service[Image: Bruce Reid via Facebook]

“I made some inquiries to the Ukrainian embassy, to see if they would need my services as a recently retired firefighter. That’s the only reason why I’ve come here.”

He added that he would not want to participate in the fighting.

“I don’t want to have a crash course in the use of an AK47,” he said. “But if I can get to a fire station in Ukraine and help them then I might be doing my bit.”

Mr Reid said on Facebook on Sunday (March 6) that he was charged £60 by Ryanair to take his firefighting kit to the Ukraine, describing the airline's charge as "unbelievable".

On March 5 he explained the "difficult decision" to travel to Ukraine on Facebook.

"I Didn't think I'd be donning full fire kit again anytime soon ( thanks to Jon Foster from NYFRS for re issuing my kit) but I'm now able to go to the Ukraine to allow an Ukrainian Firefighter to possibly take up arms and fight.

"I fly out to Poland tomorrow afternoon then get transferred to the Polish Ukrainian border and take it from there, this has been facilitated by Ukrainian embassy in London," he said.

Retired Yorkshire firefighter travels to Ukraine to help war effort - but says Ryanair charged him £60 to take his kit